PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN 29th August, 24th September and 3rd October 2016

European Elections monitor Kersti Kaljulaid elected President of the Republic of Estonia

Corinne Deloy Kersti Kaljulaid was elected President of the Republic of Estonia on 3rd October by the 101 members of the , the only chamber of Parliament. The only candidate running, she won 81 votes. Her appointment to the supreme office is the conclusion of an electoral saga which almost led the country to a constitutional crisis. Results

Everything started on 29th August last in Parliament. who were automatically qualified to stand again in During the first round of voting the leader of the this new round of voting three other people were Riigikogu, Eiki Nestor (Social Democratic Party candidates: the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Marina (SDE) came out ahead in the election with 40 votes, Kaljurand, the leader of the Conservative Party followed by former Education and Research Minister (EKRE), and Allar Joks. The latter came (2005-2007), Mailis Reps (Centre Party, K), (26 out ahead in the vote with 83 votes beating Siim votes) and the independent candidate supported Kallas by two votes (81). Mailis Reps won 79, Marina by the Pro-Patria Union-Res Publica (IRL) and the Kaljurand 75 and Mart Helme, 16. Free Party (EVA), Allar Joks (24 votes). The three Siim Kallas and Allar Joks faced each other in the candidates were therefore not even close to winning second round in which neither of them won the a 2/3 majority (i.e. 68 votes) necessary to be absolute majority. The Reform Party candidate and elected President of the Republic by the Riigikogu. the Social Democratic Party won 138 votes and his The next day former European Commissioner for adversary 134. 57 voting slips were blank and three Transport (2010-2014), Administrative Affairs, Audit were void. and Counter Fraud (2004-2010) and former Prime “Allar Joks’ surprising result during the Electoral Minister (2002-2003), Siim Kallas (Reform Party, ER), College vote in which he was only four votes ahead of replaced Eiki Nestor (in line with an agreement made Siim Kallas is revealing: it shows how well Pro-Patria between the Reform Party and the Social Democratic Union Res Publica can organise themselves, the Party) and won 45 votes, Mailis Reps won 32 and discontent of the local elites regarding the Reform Allar Joks, 21. The third and last round opposed Siim Party government, the opposition of the rural part Kallas, who won 42 votes and Mailis Reps who won of the country to the administrative reform etc.. If 26. There were 30 blank slips. the Reform Party does not analyse what happened correctly it will soon be facing some real issues,” According to the voting procedures in the presidential stressed Tonis Saarts, a Professor in Political Science election in Estonia, on 24th September the 334 at the University of after the vote of the members of the Electoral College (Valimiskogu), an Electoral College. organisation that brings together the 101 MPs and the members of the representative assemblies of the Hence on 25th September Estonia found itself in 213 local authorities in Estonia met to appoint the an unheard of position, since to date, the Electoral president. Apart from Siim Kallas and Mailis Reps, College had always managed to elect a

Political issues FONDATION ROBERT SCHUMAN / PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN ESTONIA / 29TH AUGUST, 24TH SEPTEMBER AND 3RD OCTOBER 2016 Presidential election in Estonia 29th August, 24th September and 3rd October 2016

when it had had the vote, ie during every presidential of the Republic. The latter indicated in a programme election except for that on 29th August 2011 when Pealtnagija on the channel ETV that she had already became the first Estonian been offered the chance to stand at the beginning of president to have been appointed by Parliament since the summer but that she had refused. 02 1996, the year in which the present system to elect the Aged 46, and from , Kersti Kaljulaid is a graduate Head of State was introduced. in biology from the and also has an The Estonian authorities therefore convened the MBA, from the same establishment. She has occupied Riigikogu on 3rd October in a bid to appoint the several posts in the financial sector and worked from President of the Republic. “We are now in a new 2004 until the beginning of 2016 at the European Court situation in which we need new candidates,” declared of Auditors which sits in Luxembourg. Toomas Hendrik Ilves. On 27th September the conference of leaders of the Riigikogu, comprising the Kersti Kaljulaid, is the first woman to fill the presidential leaders of the six political groups in Parliament and seat in Estonia and will officially replace Toomas Hendrik three members of the General Assembly decided to Ilves on 10th October. support the candidature of Kersti Kaljulaid as president

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Political issues FONDATION ROBERT SCHUMAN / PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN ESTONIA / 29TH AUGUST, 24TH SEPTEMBER AND 3RD OCTOBER 2016